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The silence that followed Julian Cross’s invitation felt heavier than the crystal chandeliers overhead. Five hundred Chicago elites held their collective breath, their champagne flutes suspended halfway to their lips, waiting for the sky to fall. / Chapter 4 / 10

Chapter 4 - THE QUEEN'S GAMBITThe music ended to a polite, stunned wave of applause. Evelyn stepped back from Julian, smoothing the front of her emerald-green gown. Her composure was absolute, a fortress of ice and steel.

Dominic appeared at the edge of the dance floor, his face pale beneath his tan, his custom tuxedo suddenly looking like a cheap costume. He ignored Julian entirely, his eyes fixed on his wife with a look of sheer, unadulterated terror.

"Evelyn," he said, his voice cracking slightly before he caught himself. "We need to talk. Now. In private."

"There is nothing private left to discuss, Dominic," Evelyn said loudly enough for the surrounding reporters to hear. She turned her gaze to the flashbulbs that immediately began to pop like lightning bugs. "You made your announcement. Consider this mine."

She reached up, unclasped the diamond earrings Dominic had bought her for their tenth anniversary—the ones bought with company accounts—and dropped them one by one into Vanessa Reed’s horrified open hands as she walked past.

"Keep them, Vanessa," Evelyn said smoothly. "You’ll need to pawn them to pay your lawyers by sunrise."

Julian stepped up beside Evelyn, offering his arm once more. This time, she took it without hesitation.

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"Going somewhere, Mrs. Vale?" Julian asked, his voice dripping with dark amusement as flashbulbs blinded them from every angle.

"To clean house, Mr. Cross," Evelyn replied, her eyes flashing with a cold, triumphant fire. "And then, we take the rest of the city."

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